Movement coordinating device



Sept. 16, 1958 R. J. LINDSEY MOVEMENT COORDINATING DEVICE Filed july 15, 1954 United States Patent MOVEMENT COORDINATING DEVICE Robert J. Lindsey, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 15, 1954, Serial N0. 443,496

9'Claims. (Cl. 60-97) they action of the operating members-to insure a desired synchronized action. An example of such a machine kwork pieces, it frequently becomes desirable to regulate ,reasonably would be a hydraulic press having a plugality of rams or platens, such as side platens, which are arranged to move toward and engagea workpiece for some desired purpose in a determined work cycle. In such a machine, it may become desirable to synchronize the action of the two side rams so that they willv work together and that the action of one will not proceed or lag behind the action of the other.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to` provide an arrangement to accurately control and coordinate theA action of a plurality of operating members.

` It is another object of the invention to provide an arrangement of the type described, wherein the action of the operating members controls the subsequent action of independent elements that in turn initiate and control the action of the operating members with the' result that the operating members act in a synchronized manner.

It is a specic object `of the invention to provide a pair of operating platens normally associated with a hydraulic press, said platens being movable by a common power source with a controlling arrangement whereby the movement of thev platens is synchronized relative to each other.

It is another specic object of the invention to provide a mechanical connection between the platens to initiate platen action in the first instance and to coordinately control the initiated action.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the following specification and the attached drawing, wherein:

A single figure is a fragmentary diagrammatical illustration of the operating parts of a hydraulic machine incorporating the features of the invention.

It should be noted that the present invention is illustrated as applied to the action of a pairV of hydraulically movable platens, said platens being movable generally toward each other. However, the invention could reasonably be applied to any number of machine types which employ movable operating members arranged to engage selected Work pieces in a variety of Sequences. Specifically, the essence of the invention could reasonably beY applied to machines wherein the operating members move in a variety of diiferent directions or Vto machines having a variety of different types of power sources. This can be accomplished by merely varying the linkage arrangement and/or the controlling elements. Theresociated intake port.

ice

atively attached to. one side of` the platen 10 is an ad-V vance hydraulic motor 14. Additionally, hydraulic motor means 16, 16, which act as return means are also operatively connected to the same side of the platen 10. The platen 12 has an advance hydraulic motor 18 associated therewith and additionally has the return hydraulic means 20, 20 also associated therewith, said hydraulic motors 1.8 and 20 being arranged in a manner similar to the hydraulic motors 14 and 16. In the` preferred embodiment illustrated, the platens 10 and 12 are designed to be moved toward and away from each other under the action of the associated hydraulic motors. It will be understood however, that this particular platen motion is not critical from the standpointof the invention and other types of operatingmembers' moving in a variety of directions and atdiiferent speeds could reasonably employ the invention.

Considering platen 10, it will be seen that the hydraulic motor 14 is fed by a hydraulic transmission line 22, said line communicating between the motor and a motor port 244 of a controlling hydraulic valve, indicated generally at 26. The hydraulic motor means 16 is'fed by a transmission line 28, said transmission line communicating with another motor port 30 of the valve 26. The valve 26 is additionally providedV with an intake port: 32 which is connected to av transmission line 34 which in turn connects to a source of hydraulic' fluid under pressure, such as the pump indicated at 36.

Considering platen 12, it will be seen that the hydraulic motor means 18 is connected to a transmission line 38 which in turn communicates with a motor port 4i) of a-controlling valve indicated-generally at 42. The hydraulic motors 20 communicate, v'ia transmission line 44, with another motor port 46 of the valve 42. The valve 42 is additionally provided with an intake port 48 which in turn communicates with the pump 36 via transmission line 50. It will thus be seen, inthe preferred embodiment, that both valves 26 and 42 receive hydraulic pressure from a common source, namely, the pump 36. The pump 36 draws hydraulic fluid-from a reservoir 52 and the valves 26 and 42 are each provided vith drains 54 which also communicate with reservoir The valves 26 and 42 are provided internally thereof with hollow operating chambers 56, 56. The chambers 56 communicate respectively with the motor and intake ports associated with the respective valves and'have movably disposed therein spools 58 which operatively serve to close the motor ports of the related valve or in the alternative connect one of said motor ports with the as- Each spool 58 is provided with an element 60 which extends externally of the associated valves 26 and 42 respectively, whereatV each element 60 makes pivotal connection as at 62 with an associated end of independent valve actuated arms 64, 64. The opposite ends of arms 64 are pivotally'connected as at 66 to the platens 10 and 12 respectively. A journal blockY 68 is: x'e'dly mounted relative to the mentioned operating parts, to the machine base, indicated at 70, said journal block 68 rotatably receiving the arm o'onnected actuating member indicated generally at 72. It will be noted that the member 72 is provided with threads on the periphery thereof on opposite sides of thejournal block 68, the threads on the left hand side of the journal 3 68 being cut to one hand while the threads on the right hand side of the journal 68 are cut to another or opposite hand. It will be noted that in the preferred embodiment, the threads on opposite sides of the journal 68 are of similar pitch and type with the exception of one being a left hand thread and one being a right hand thread.l However, it will be readily understood by one skilled in the art that modification of the action hereinafter described could be achieved by merely providing threads on opposite sides of the journal with different characteristics such as differential pitches where different relative motions are designed by the operating motor.

The actuating arms 64 are pivotally connected as at 74 to blocks 76, 76, each block 76 being designed to rotatably engage the member 72 on respective sides of the central journal block 68. A conventional power source such as a multiple speed operating motor indicated at 78 may be provided to make mechanical connection as at 80 to the member 72, whereby the member may be rotated to induce the action more fully hereinafter explained.

To operate the structure disclosed, it is necessary to first of all initiate action of the member 72 by energizing the motor 78. The rotating action of the member '72 causes the threadably engaged blocks 76 to move on said member and, from the neutral position illustrated, would move initially toward one another whereby the arms 64 would be urged to pivot about the platen con-v nections 66. The left hand arm of course would pivot in a counterclockwise direction while the right hand arm would pivot in a clockwise direction. This movement of the arms 64 would cause the connected spools 58 to move toward each other whereby motor port 24 would be partially opened, and intake port 32 of the left hand controlling valve 26 would now communicate with the motor port 24 of said valve wherebyv pressure uid is transmitted to the advance motor 14 via line 22. Simultaneously, the movement of the right hand spool 58 would connect intake port 48 of the right hand valve 42 with the motor port 49 of said valve whereby pressure fluid would be directed to the advance motor 18 via line 38. It is through this device that the action of the platens and 12 may be simultaneously initiated in this preferred embodiment.

In addition to simultaneous initiation, the device provides a further feature of coordinating the action of platens 10 and 12 throughout the stroke of said platens. This is accomplished by the pivotal connections between the actuating arms 64 and the respective platens 10 and 12. As the platens are moved toward each other under the action heretofore described, the fulcrum centers 66 also move toward each other which holds and may even reverse the pivotal action of the arms 64 heretofore described. This moving of the pivots 66 tends to urge the arms 64 to move in directions opposite to the initiating direction whereby the connected spools 58 tend to move to a neutral position reducing or cutting off iiow of hydraulic fluid to the respective advance motors 14 and 1S. Thus if under the action of hydraulic iiuid either of the platens 10 and 12 tends to advance too rapidly, the movement of its connected arm 64 will cause a throttling effect by means of movement of the associated valve 58 whereby delivery of the hydraulic fluid to a particular advance motor would be cut down with the result that the action of the rapidly advancing platen will be slowed until it reaches a point of balance with the other platen. The same of course is true if one of the platens 10 or 12 lags behind a normal' advancing rate, that is, the associated spool 58 will move upon the associated motor port 24 or 40 further than that required to initiate movement of the platen as described heretofore and to increase the llow of uid to the related advance motor whereby the platen will be urged to advance at a more rapid rate, again until a point of balance is achieved.

As a safety feature in the arrangement just described,

4 l limit switches W, may be provided, each limit switch been associated with one of the spools 58. Each limit switch is accurately placed a determined distance from the end of the associated spool 58 whereby if the companion platen should become stalled and fail to operate, the spool 58, under the action of the arm 64, will extend an extreme distance striking the related limit switch 90 which, through electrical interlocking, will stop the motor 78 and prevent further platen action until the trouble is remedied.

When the platens 10 and 12 complete their advance stroke, the motor 78 may be reversed, either manually or through any of the automatic interlocks familiar to those skilled in the art, whereby the reverse stroke is initiated. ln the reverse stroke, the action is similar to that described in the advance stroke except that the spools 58 under the action of the arms 64 willl tend to establish communication between the intake port of each valve and the motor port of said valve which communicates with the return means. In this circumstance of course, the motor port which normally is associated with the advance motor in each valve now communicates with the drain 54 of each valve through the valve body.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a distinct and novel action initiating and coordinating device whereby a plurality of operating members may be so synchronized that they will act relative to one another in a predeter mined desired manner during an entire machine cycle. f"

I claim: .1)

1. In a coordinating device for use on a hydraulic press, a pair of opposed movable platens, an advance hydraulic motor connected to each platen whereby the platens may be urged toward and away from each other, a return hydraulic motor connected to each platen where:- by the platens may be urged away from each other, a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure capable of actuating said motors and moving said platens, a pair of control valves, each valve comprising an intake port to receive hydraulic uid from the source and a pair of motor ports, a movable spool in each valve operative to selectively connect the intake port with the motor ports, iiuid transmission lines between the motor ports of each valve and the respective advance and return motors of the platens, arms pivotally and respectively connected to the platens, said arms having other pivotal connections to the respective spools, a rotatable member having a fixed journal, said member having oppositely threaded segments on each side of the journal, each segment having a threaded pivotal connection to the respective arms, and power means having a connection to said member operative to rotate same, whereby upon rotation of said member, said arms are urged to move relative to each other causing a coordinated motion of the arm connected spools thus admitting hydraulic fluid to the associated motors in a synchronized manner.

2. In a movement coordinating device, a plurality of movable working members; power means to move said members; independent operative control means associated with each member to actuate said power means, said control means including movable regulating segments; coordinating means to insure synchronized :action of said control means, said coordinating means comprising arms having connection to said segments, a rotatable element interconnecting said arms and operative to move same, and means on said rotatable element to coordinate movement of the arms, said coordinating means comprising interengaging threads on the element and arm respectively, said threads being arranged to move said arms a determined amount relative to each other in response to rotation of the element; and other means operatively associated with said coordinating means which renders the operation of the control means responsive to the action of said working member.

3. A movement coordinating device according to claim 2, and including connections between the arms and the associated working members.

4. In a device of the type described, a plurality of operating members, power means to operate said members, a control mechanism operatively associated with each operating member and the related power means, an arm for each control mechanism directly connected at one end to the related operating member for movement therewith and at the opposite end to the related control mechanism, and means to coordinate initial movement of said arms, whereby said control mechanism accommodates synchronized actuation of said operating members by said power means, said coordinating means including power actuated means pivotally connected to each of said arms whereby said arms may be moved simultaneously at a predetermined rate, thereby actuating the related control mechanism a proportional amount.

5. In a control device for use on a hydraulic press, a pair of opposed movable platens, hydraulic motors operatively associated with each platen to move said platens toward or away from each other, a source of pressure tluid for said motors, a pair of control valves interposed between said motors and said fluid source, arms directly pivotally connected tothe respective platens, said arms having other pivotal connection to the respective valves, a rotatable threaded member having a threaded pivotal connection to each of said arms, and power means operative to rotate said mem-ber, whereby said arms are urged to move relative to said platens and to each other, thereby causing proportionate opening of said control valves. 6. Ina control' device for use on a hydraulic press, a pair of opposed movable platens, hydraulic motors operaitively associated with each platen to move said platens ,toward or away from each other, a source of pressure `tluid for said motors, a pair of control valves interposed :between said motors and said tluid source, arms pivotally `and respectively connected to the platens, said arms hav- ,ing other pivotal connection to the respective valves, a \rotatabl`e threaded member having a xed journal inter- ;"mediate the ends, said member having a threaded pivotal Vconnection to each of said arms, and power means operative to rotate said member, whereby said arms are urged to move relative to said platens at a predetermined rate, thereby causing proportionate openings of said control valves.

7. In a device to control the movement of a pair of operating members, hydraulic motors associated with each member to move said members in a preselected manner, a source of pressure fluid for said motors, a pair of control valves interposed between said motors and said uid source, arms pivotally and respectively connected to said members, said arms having other pivotal connection to the respective valves, a rotatable member having threaded pivotal connection to each of said arms, the pitch of the threads at each of said last mentioned pivotal connections being proportional to the movement desired in the associated operating member, and power means operative to rotate said rotatable member whereby said arms will be urged to move proportionally to said pitch thereby causing proportionate opening of said control valve and consequent proportionate movement of the associated operating members.

8. In a movement coordinating device, a plurality of movable working members; power means to move said members; independent operative control' means associated with each member to actuate said power means; and coordinating means to insure synchronized action of said control means, said coordinating means comprising arms having connection to said control means, a rotatable element interconnecting said arms and operative to move same, and means on said rotatable element to coordinate movement of the arms, said means comprising interengaging threads on the element and arms, respectively,

said threads being arranged to move said arms a determined amount relative to each other in response to rotation of the element.

9. In a movement coordinating device, a plurality of movable working members, power means to move said members, independent operative control means associated with each member to actuate said power means, and coordinating means to ensure synchronized action of said control means and thereby synchronize movement of said working members, said coordinating means comprising arms having pivotal connection to respective control means, and a threaded rotating element directly connecting said arms to move same, the threads being arranged to continuously move said arms a determined amount relative to eachother in response to rotation of the element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,148,543 Dinzl Feb. 28, 1939 2,247,140 Twyman June 24, 1941 2,312,213 Ferris Feb. 23, 1943 2,572,902 Ashton i Oct. 30, 1951 2,706,886 Michel Apr. 26, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 430,825 Great Britain s-.. June 24, 1935 405,361 Italy Aug. 9, 1943 

